Praise for MBE

A COUNCIL chief has praised an Orford woman named in the New Year Honours list.

Maureen Higham, aged 75, was awarded an MBE for her work with children with disabilities at Radley Common Community Centre.

Maureen runs a number of groups at the centre including a luncheon club for four days a week, which was previously run by the council’s access social care team. The club runs from 10am to 2pm and caters for elderly, isolated residents.

Cllr Kate Hannon, executive board member for leisure, community and culture, said: “Thanks to the help of Maureen and other volunteers at the centre, Radley Common Community Centre has transformed from a quiet centre to a building full of life, at the heart of the community, used every day by residents.

“I have known Maureen for years as a selfless, kind-hearted lady who always gives 100 per cent.”

Join the sewing fun

FANCY getting creative?

A new sewing group has launched at Fearnhead Community Centre on Insall Road.

Meeting from 1pm to 3.30pm the group is for people who want to learn to sew, improve or learn new techniques, and help and inspire other sewists.

There will be structured weeks where there will be projects to undertake.

There will be a small fee to cover the costs of hiring the room.

Sub station work

NEW fencing is to be erected around an electricity sub station in Houghton Green.

The application from Electricity Northwest for the land on Mill Lane has been approved by council planners.

Charity swimathon

THE money is in!

Children from LiveWire’s Learn to Swim programme in Orford swam a total of 116 lengths for Children in Need.

And a sum of £225 was raised for the charity, taking LiveWire’s total for the charity to £1225.

Job boot camp

JOBSEEKERS in the town received a boost as Golden Gates Housing Trust’s (GGHT) first ‘Job boot camp’ was held at LiveWire’s Orford Jubilee Hub.

More than 50 people attended the event organised to give jobseekers an opportunity to get together and discuss the barriers they are facing while searching for employment.

Liz Cotterill, from Asda, also delivered a workshop which gave an insight into supermarket retail culture and team building exercises.

Anyone who lives in one of GGHT’s properties and would like additional support getting into employment, training or volunteering can register on Positive Change.

Visit gght.org.uk/positivechange for more details.

Students benefit

AN Orford student was one of the first to benefit from equipment bought thanks to a £900 grant awarded to Winstanely College in Wigan.

Cash from the Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Sector (BMCS) interest group offers funding to support students studying chemistry.

Student Abbie Gartland, aged 18, said: “This grant has meant that we are getting first-hand experience.”